Fitness consequences of individual variation in spatial learning ability in wild food-caching animals

野生食物储存动物空间学习能力个体差异的适应性后果

• 批准号: 1351295
• 负责人: Vladimir Pravosudov
• 金额: $ 84万
• 依托单位: Board of Regents, NSHE, obo University of Nevada, Reno
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-03-15 至 2020-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1351295&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Fitness; consequences; individual; variation; spatial

There are large differences in cognitive abilities and brain morphology both within and between species, yet it remains unclear why such differences exist. Such differences may result from differential biological fitness associated with individual variation in cognitive abilities, yet empirical evidence for this hypothesis is lacking. Different tasks require different cognitive abilities (e.g. spatial memory vs. memory for color), yet whether natural selection can shape different cognitive abilities independently is also debated. The proposed research will address these two major questions by (1) comparing individual differences in two cognitive abilities (spatial learning and non-spatial learning in wild food-caching mountain chickadees in two environments that place different demands on just one of these abilities, spatial memory, which is involved in recovering thousands of previously made food caches and (2) measuring biological fitness associated with individual differences in both cognitive abilities. If natural selection can affect these abilities independently, only differences in spatial learning ability should be associated with differential biological fitness. In addition to addressing major evolutionary questions about population/species differences in cognitive abilities, the proposed study will also have significant implications for learning and memory research. It is still generally assumed that the mechanisms underlying associative learning in general are the same for all types of learning and memory and so studying one type of memory allows development of treatments for all memory types. Demonstrating that natural selection can affect different cognitive abilities independently would suggest that we must consider specific cognitive abilities and their regulatory mechanisms individually when designing interventions. The proposed research will also increase research readiness and science literacy by providing intensive research training to undergraduate and graduate students as well as outreach to K-12 students and the general public through the Sagehen Biological Station.

物种之间和物种之间的认知能力和脑形态存在很大差异，但尚不清楚为什么存在这种差异。这种差异可能是由于与认知能力的个体变异相关的不同生物适应性而导致的，但缺乏这种假设的经验证据。不同的任务需要不同的认知能力（例如，空间记忆与颜色记忆的记忆），但是自然选择是否可以独立地塑造不同的认知能力。 The proposed research will address these two major questions by (1) comparing individual differences in two cognitive abilities (spatial learning and non-spatial learning in wild food-caching mountain chickadees in two environments that place different demands on just one of these abilities, spatial memory, which is involved in recovering thousands of previously made food caches and (2) measuring biological fitness associated with individual differences in both cognitive abilities. If natural selection can affect these abilities independently,除了解决有关人口/物种差异的认知能力差异之外，空间学习能力的差异应与差异化的生物适应性相关。证明自然选择可以独立影响不同的认知能力，这表明我们必须在设计干预措施时单独考虑特定的认知能力及其调节机制。拟议的研究还将通过为本科和研究生提供深入的研究培训，并通过Sagehen生物站向K-12学生和公众推广，从而提高研究准备和科学素养。